Episode 24

full
Published on:

10th Nov 2025

Take That Internet Lady!

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Hosts Beck and Dash discuss everything from slaw dogs and Facebook Marketplace to winter woes and odd childhood games. Tune in for stories, laughs, and Appalachian culture.

Transcript
Speaker:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Welcome

to Queernecks, the podcast that

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puts the yehaw in y'all means all.

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I'm your host, Beck,

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400:

and I'm your host.

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Dash.

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Welcome to today's episode.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: We

are both wearing orange today.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I know

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

It's Falcon Friday here

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: when I first

came to work there, student affairs

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at most universities is kind of like

this, like they're supposed to be

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the cheerleaders of campus and stuff.

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And so Tobias was like, we

gotta get you some, swag.

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So he took me to the bookstore there

and bought me the most like, comfortable

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hoodie I think I've ever owned.

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It was like, just really fancy,

athletics, um, hoodie And I, you sat

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down and I saw that, I just realized

I haven't seen that hoodie in forever.

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I wish I knew what happened to it.

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I've had a lot of housing

instability between then and now.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: I

wore this with a orange and

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brown flannel that I have.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: aren't

orange and brown, just kind of

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like, that's, that's a strong

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

Yes, very much so.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400:

Oh, look at this.

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I'm in my recliner.

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I can't sit, I sleep in this thing.

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someone found out that I, you know,

needed, furniture and we had worked on

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a project with them over the summer for

Morris Pride and so I was just over at

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their house doing planning or whatever,

and I turn around, I hear like, open up

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the back of your car, and I turn around

and like their sibling And, and like

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their, I think partner were carrying

this recliner out of the hou out of their

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house and like loading it into my car.

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And I was like, oh my

God, thank you so much.

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And they were like, we

just, we needed rid of it.

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And there she was like, do you like it?

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And I was like, yeah,

mean it's a free recliner.

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It's the be most beautiful

thing I've ever seen.

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And I was grateful then, and

I'm like twice as grateful now.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

Yeah, I hear that.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: But,

um, last night though, so I'm

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like, you know, math is hard.

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math is especially hard when

you're on three different,

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medications that make you stupid.

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So I'm on a really high

dose of Gabapentin.

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It's like, uh, kind of the max, right?

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they can't go any higher.

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It's 1800 milligrams a day.

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and so I take it three times a day.

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And because they titrated me up at

first, I started out on a lower dose.

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So I have two different

strength, capsules.

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night I was, went to take my dose

and thought I had the 100 capsules.

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And so I counted out enough to get

up to my dose and I had the 200 ones.

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and I realized it as soon as they

went down because that's always

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the moment you realize when you've

done something that's stupid,

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Right.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: the

second it's too late to do.

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so I do the thing that, you

know, folks who, um, dabble in

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substances do, which is Google, the

maximum amount of this I can take?

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And Google was like, you're gonna have a

weird night, but you'll probably survive.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Did

you in fact have a weird night?

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I sure did.

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and I told everybody, I texted like,

you know, Sabrina and Claire and,

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and you know, anybody who might

wanna get into contact with me.

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Like, this is what just happened.

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I've looked into it when I

come to, I'll let you know.

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and yeah, I was sitting here in

front of the TV and I was like,

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yes, it might, it might not,

might not be that bad or whatever.

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And then next thing I know, it's 2:30 AM.

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I am like, crashed the

fuck out on this recliner.

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I don't know if I had tried to stand up

or what, but I made it back down into it.

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But not in like the appropriate,

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Configuration.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: this was

not the factory model, and know that

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I had been, I don't know, like my, my

mouth had been wide open, so it was

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not like normal sleep because this

is not how I sleep because everything

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down to like my gullet was bone dry.

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And so I had just been,

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Not your.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: and what was

I, was I talking, was I making noise?

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Did I look like the girl

in the closet in the ring

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all day?

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I've been just having this image

of what I must have looked like

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in this recliner for six hours.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: When

Shana and I first left West, West

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Virginia, we moved to Hamilton, Ohio.

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And we just, it packing, we were

up for days and we were exhausted.

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we had already lost our

mind like three times.

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We passed one of those restaurants that

just has a big sign that says restaurant.

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And we thought it was hilarious.

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And we laughed about that

for like an like, laughed our

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heads off for like an hour.

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so we got there and we got everything

unloaded and we, you know, everybody

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left and we got the futon set up in

the living room and we sat down and

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we're like, all right, we're gonna go

to the store and like five minutes.

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And we sat there and the next thing we

knew it was eight o'clock the next morning

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I had fallen asleep sitting straight

up and Shana was asleep on my shoulder

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and we didn't move for like six hours.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: That's,

that's the good sleep though.

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You know,

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cause that's what I thought.

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Like when I noticed like my mouth was,

the driest ever been like, between

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the tongue and the cheek were dry.

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I was like, this is what a

dead person's mouth feels like.

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But this morning I was like, I think

I'm gonna skip my morning dose.

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But

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One thing that has been

like, kind of a challenge.

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It's like downstairs, there's no bathroom.

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It's

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Oh wow.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400:

it's an old house.

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And so it uses, it's a lot

of like gravity in Jesus that

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makes the plumbing, Function.

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There is a basement, and there

was a teenager living down there

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before I bought this house, but I

don't know how it's the dankest.

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Well, he was high all the time.

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we came to look at the house

and just found weed and bongs

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stashed in the basement.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: That's

the thing about being a sooner you

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forget your shit when you move.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: think

I, I'm probably gonna wind up being

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one of those like, gummies the

edible things for pain management.

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'cause I am not, remember loving

narcotics, I remember loving

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the sensation of all downers.

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was afraid that, you

know, would be rekindled.

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it hasn't been really, I've,

I've found it kind of annoying.

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not that it doesn't still make you

feel good, 'cause it does, but you're

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also just sort of like, oh god,

now I'm too stoned to do anything.

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I'm old, are not for the old

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Right.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: 24.

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party at 44.

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of my day is ruined.

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I need every ounce of energy it is

could get just to do normal things.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: I am

going to see my aunt tomorrow,

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Oh yeah.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

I'm very excited about that.

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It's my mom's sister.

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I haven't seen her in well over a year.

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she lives about three hours

away, that'll be good to see her.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I had to

cancel my flight home for Thanksgiving.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Aw,

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah,

there's two very good reasons to do it

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though.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: right.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: One,

I've gotta have surgery and my

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brother-in-law is in transit right now.

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He was traveling for work and got

caught with all of this, uh, TSA,

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the shutdowns and stuff like that.

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he's still not made it home.

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He is been stuck at, Reagan

International Airport, for a day.

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I think they just keep delaying,

delaying, delaying by huge chunks of time.

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He sent us a picture of you know, the

screens in the airport of the flights.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Mm-hmm.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: it was

at least half red canceled flights

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Oh, wow.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: when I logged

into, I use like the, those discount apps

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to get, tickets like Kayak and Expedia.

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When I logged in to cancel it had

a message up that basically said I

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hope you ain't buying no tickets.

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Woe be Tide you if you

trying to go anywhere.

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But I was like, God damn, this is serious.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah,

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: And

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: it's,

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I mean,

so we found out today that they are

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gonna pay out the SNAP benefits.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: but I,

I've heard a couple of different

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things though, scenarios.

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One, that it's gonna take a couple

of months to get out the, the

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aid that they're giving them.

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You know, that doesn't

help anybody right now.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah.

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There's, Some people have,

received in their account their

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funds and some people haven't.

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But how about them elections though?

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: my, my

students were very hopeful about them.

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I thought that was great.

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When I start class, I always say,

how are you guys doing today?

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Is there anything you wanna talk

about on campus or in the news?

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You know, because sometimes that

gives us some good conversations.

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And, uh, somebody said to, uh, today

and yesterday in both classes, that.

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They were really excited about Mamdani.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: It is.

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Isn't that interesting how, It's not his,

his election is not necessarily directly

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influential on any national, thing.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: right.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: But is

something about that representation

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just having, just seeing something

like that happen that very well

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could influence the nation.

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And it wasn't just him either.

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Like, Virginia, what was the other one?

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Was it Georgia?

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: That's

the one that came to my mind.

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So it must be.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: other

state there was several wins.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Right,

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: So

if nothing else, even if it

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doesn't come to anything directly

influential, it's got people thinking

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: I

read that somewhere that, um,

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10 governors are now women.

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That's 20%.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: that is cool.

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And then the old white

men are just falling out.

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Did you see the, the

press conference with the

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Mm-hmm.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Lilly exec?

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

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And Trump's just standing there.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Well, he

was asleep in the chair until that

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happened.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Oh, wow.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: there,

the full video is out there.

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And I just got saw some photos.

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He was sitting in that chair the whole

time he was sitting in that chair.

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was in some state resembling this hands,

trying to hide, I guess but then it, it

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eventually, his hands fell away and he was

slumped in that chair like this, just out.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

Well, he is 80 years old or 79.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: and unwell,

my papaw at 80 was running up and

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down the hills of Jellico and running

tractors and maintaining two properties.

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it isn't only his age, although, that is

an age, it's a, it's a benchmark for sure.

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But he has clearly led

a life of debauchery.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: The

stories of his drug use from people

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who've worked with him are shocking.

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I have to, I mean, like, so much about

him would actually be kind of baller

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if he wasn't such a fucking cunt.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

I agree completely.

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We're talking about RFK, right?

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I don't,

you know, I don't know much about him.

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I had a friend who, um,

he's one of those, like, he.

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Constant libertarian bros.

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and libertarian, this is a different

subject, but where are libertarians now?

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You know, but there was a time, a

long time there where I had a lot of

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libertarian friends who would say that

they had that whole line of the two

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party system is broken, apparently

to them means we should vote for

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whatever fucking reject shows up that

doesn't align with either one, no

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matter how stupid and shitty they are.

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So I had a friend who was, he would send

me like RFKs town halls from BEF when he

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was trying to run in the 20, 24 election.

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And I was like, are you trolling?

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What is this man even talking about?

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And he got mad and he was like,

well, his, at least he's not Biden.

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And I was like.

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My foot's not Biden.

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Right?

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There's a pile of shit over

there that is not Joe Biden.

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Let's write that up on the ballot.

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I think hopefully after so long of

that being an, uh, a demonstrably

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stupid way of selecting a candidate

that those folks are done.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah, I just,

I, I have been trying to distance myself

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from politics for the last week or so.

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I just needed a mental break.

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I've, I've kept it abreast of like

the Facebook, what gets through on

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Facebook, and that's just about it.

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Like, I didn't even read

Heather Richardson this week.

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Like, I, I just needed a break.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah,

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

So I think that's allowed,

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: absolutely.

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I've been, diving into movies and

stuff trying to think like, what is

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something that I never finished because

I got to, there was a lot of TV shows

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that I just stopped in the middle of.

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I went through a long period I would watch

a movie halfway through and then my mind

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would be racing and I'd have to turn it

off and get up and do something else.

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so I've been going through my

streaming services, looking for the

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stuff that I hadn't finished So I

finished Alien Earth last night.

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really liked it.

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It is weird as hell.

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It's doing something.

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I mean, and Alien is a, as a

franchise is very interesting to me

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because it has so many different.

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voices in it.

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every film was written and

directed by a different person.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

I've never seen any of those.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I mean,

course we all want everyone to see and

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experience our favorite films, but I do

think Alien, that's top three for me.

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Top three

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yes,

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Nice.

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How violent is It

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: very violent.

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Um,

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

my, my drawback.

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I just,

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: okay,

let me, let me put it this way.

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There is one scene that

you, you will find upsetting

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because that's its job.

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But other than that, 'cause it was

filmed in 78, I think, and released

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in, in 79, something like that.

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It was filmed in the,

in the late seventies.

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So they had to do, they were doing

something like really kind of

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wild and experimental with limited

resources in terms of techno,

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like special effects and stuff.

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So everything had to be practical

and the monster was really huge.

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Instead of having to build this

giant monster over and over and

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over again for every scene it

was in, they shot around it.

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So they created the horror through this

absent presence . They show the monster

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a couple of times so that we know what

it looks like and we are afraid of it,

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and then we hardly ever see it again.

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And we stay with the characters who

are trying to sneak around this ship

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and stay safe from this giant alien.

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But to establish the fear, there is

a couple of really violent scenes.

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that was one of the first

dates my dad took my mom on.

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And

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in

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: wow.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: the

scene I'm telling you about the

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scary one, she like flipped out

and threw popcorn all over him.

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So for one of their like big

anniversaries, I bought them the,

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Blu-ray of Alien in a bag of popcorn.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

Aw, that's cute.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah,

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: I can't

think of any movies that signify like

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that that much in, in like my family

though, we always did use one line from

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that movie Short Circuit and I always

forget that other people don't use it.

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df.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I Where you

said that to me and I was like, what?

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

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It's where he gets his wires

backwards and he is trying to say,

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okay, Fred, and he says, Koko Dorf.

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And that's, that's something

we use to this day.

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Like I still use it as, you know,

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah.

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when we got the VHS of the Little

Mermaid, we wore that thing out.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah,

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' dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: cause

it was the first VHS we ever got.

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And for the longest time

it was the only one we had.

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Aladdin

is my favorite Disney movie.

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The original, not the remake,

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: okay.

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What, what made, what

does it stand out with?

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beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: the Genie, the

Robin Williams part is my favorite part.

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He's great in that.

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dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: there's a

handful of people that I never met and

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will never meet that I'm to have shared

time on Earth with, he is one of them.

338

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah, for sure.

339

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400:

David Bowie's another,

340

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah,

341

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I mean, we

lived in the time of Michael Jackson.

342

:

that amazing?

343

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: We could

have been born, I would've said in the

344

:

time of dinosaurs, but I'm not an idiot.

345

:

I know that humans and

dinosaurs never coexistent.

346

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Oh, have

you been to that arkor is it the arc

347

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: No.

348

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: that's, I

haven't either, but I've, I've seen,

349

:

um, a YouTube, or I really liked named

Fundie Fridays and she went to the

350

:

arkMuseum and filmed it, so embarrassing.

351

:

It's in

352

:

Kentucky

353

:

too, isn't it?

354

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

355

:

Yep, You gotta love people that

actively enforce ignorance on people.

356

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Tax free too.

357

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: I have a

friend, I went to a small school, so

358

:

when you go to a small school, you're

friends with like everybody you know.

359

:

And so there was this girl, and she

was on my softball team and, um, her

360

:

sister was on my softball team and

we hung out and I stayed the night

361

:

at her house a couple of times.

362

:

we just, you know, we

were friends or whatever.

363

:

And she has become a

quiver full kind of mother.

364

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Oh, really?

365

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

366

:

And so back in my undergrad

days, now we're talking like

367

:

2009, like it's been a while now.

368

:

I had to write for my public

speaking class, you had to do some,

369

:

uh, a speech on somebody famous.

370

:

And so I picked Oprah Winfrey

371

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Huh?

372

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: and she went

off on a tirade about Oprah Winfrey

373

:

that went on for like three paragraphs.

374

:

And then, um, I was talking about my

botany class and she asked, told me to

375

:

ask my professor why there was no complete

rock record or something, basically

376

:

suggesting that, the earth is only 2,500

years old or whatever they believe.

377

:

she's totally gone off a

rocker, The quiver full

378

:

movement is just shocking to me.

379

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: And it's

just, it preys on people who were

380

:

already kind of, uh, vulnerable.

381

:

I'm, I'm trying to think of like

what kind of vulnerability that is.

382

:

It's sort of intellectual, but

383

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: It's

384

:

a ni it's

385

:

diet

386

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah, yeah.

387

:

Naivete for sure.

388

:

What did, what's her problem with Oprah,

389

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: sh Uh,

I people, I, I guess that she's

390

:

rich, I don't know, but she's a

black woman and people don't like

391

:

black women is 100% the issue.

392

:

Um, I don't think she ever vocalized

what her actual problem was.

393

:

but I, I'm pretty sure that's what it was,

394

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah.

395

:

Incomplete fossil record as opposed to the

completely complete and verifiable bible.

396

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: right?

397

:

I don't even get into those

conversations with people.

398

:

It's just not, worth it.

399

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: No, I

mean, some people are built for

400

:

it and I'm, I'm grateful to him.

401

:

I saw John Fugal sang,

was on some pundits show.

402

:

I don't know if it was right wing

or left wing, but he was Reed people

403

:

for, for being fake Christians.

404

:

'cause apparently he's the son

of a, um, Methodist preacher.

405

:

So he was on there like quoting Jesus and

blah, blah, blah, pointing out hypocrisy.

406

:

And I know that that is absolutely

going to have no effect whatsoever.

407

:

Like, he's not saving

the world by doing that.

408

:

He's, if he changes one

mind, I'll be shocked.

409

:

But God, I just love to see it.

410

:

It makes me feel good.

411

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: That's how

I feel about arguing in the comment

412

:

sections on, on Facebook articles.

413

:

I know I'm not changing anybody's mind.

414

:

I know that they're always just

gonna be like, okay, lib to hard

415

:

idiot, or whatever, But sometimes

you just gotta take the time to

416

:

educate somebody on some shit.

417

:

I told some lady today all about gender

and how it's socially constructed, and

418

:

I was like, take that internet lady

419

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: that's

the, the title of the episode.

420

:

My thing lately has been going

into, the comments of queer media.

421

:

So like when Queer Kentucky posts on

Facebook or, pink news or something,

422

:

and finding the homophobes and

commenting, how did you get here?

423

:

Is this in your algorithm?

424

:

Do you follow these people?

425

:

What part of your secretly gay

internet history brought you to this

426

:

particular article, and why did you

feel like telling us you were here?

427

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: right.

428

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Because

bitch, I know how algorithms work.

429

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: when I

teach the, like, the, uh, lecture

430

:

ha that has homophobia and all that

stuff in it, I flat out say, generally

431

:

the people that protest too much

are the gayest people I've ever met.

432

:

You know, and that has

100% been true in my life.

433

:

I'm sure there's somebody out there that,

that, that, that is not representative

434

:

of that, but I sure haven't met him.

435

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah.

436

:

Did you just see, uh, was it

Marjorie Taylor Green said she

437

:

was gonna read the Epstein list

438

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

439

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: On the floor?

440

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

441

:

She, uh, she's come out as

being with some reasonable

442

:

viewpoints in the last week or so.

443

:

But somebody said it's 'cause she's

trying to run for president, which

444

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Bless her heart

445

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

446

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400:

in the pejorative sense.

447

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yes.

448

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Uh, it,

it could be that, I think, I don't

449

:

know if she is smart enough to

pretend to be something she's not.

450

:

and we don't even have to

make that an intellect issue.

451

:

I don't know if she can pretend

to be something she's not.

452

:

So I do tend to believe that these, these

sort of epiphanies, these small awakenings

453

:

that she's experiencing are genuine.

454

:

I still, well, of course

we'll never forgive her.

455

:

I will be glad for her.

456

:

say it's great to have you on the team

because we should love a useful idiot

457

:

as much as they love a useful idiot.

458

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: right.

459

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I

do not forgive very easily.

460

:

It, it can be very difficult

to lose my trust sometimes.

461

:

You know, like I give

people a pretty long leash.

462

:

but once it's, if, if you've done

something bad enough to lose my

463

:

allegiance, that's very difficult to lose.

464

:

You probably are not redeemable,

465

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: I hear

that I'm a very loyal person.

466

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Mm-hmm.

467

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

you lose me, then

468

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: You was trying,

469

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

470

:

You've made a decision

to make that happen.

471

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: oh lord.

472

:

I've seen some discourse, um, talking

about social media, people saying, so

473

:

for instance, I saw a post on thread.

474

:

Somebody was talking about cutting their

family off over political disagreements,

475

:

and this was a, white person And a black

woman, I believe it was replied, I'm not

476

:

like trying to be mean, but it's just

common for white people to cut family

477

:

members off over, uh, disagreement

of politics and things like that.

478

:

And it was a very interesting discussion

that brought in elements of race and

479

:

class because there were middle class

white people who were like, yeah, I'm,

480

:

if I can't see eye to eye on an issue

that's very important to me with a

481

:

family member, then I'll cut them off.

482

:

And, white trash.

483

:

We seemed to agree more with the

black woman who was saying like, uh,

484

:

I mean there are felonies you can

commit and I'm not gonna cut you off.

485

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Right.

486

:

Well, my family, my

mom was a grudge holder

487

:

and she would, um, she, for a long

time she didn't speak to either

488

:

of her sisters, and so I lost

out on a lot of family that way.

489

:

because if mom didn't speak

to 'em, we weren't allowed to

490

:

speak to 'em either, you know,

491

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah.

492

:

That

493

:

it becomes a, a whole feud.

494

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: yeah.

495

:

we went from having Christmas

and Thanksgiving together every

496

:

year to nothing for many years.

497

:

and then when my brother died,

my aunts came to his funeral and

498

:

they kind of reconciled the, the

relationship that's one of the aunts

499

:

that I'm going to see tomorrow.

500

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: That's awesome.

501

:

It sucks that it takes that sometimes.

502

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yep.

503

:

She's the only one left of

mom's siblings, and my dad has a

504

:

half-sister left, and that's about it.

505

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I was

thinking about like, for me now.

506

:

Um, I look forward to holidays, but,

15 years ago when was still in my like,

507

:

insecure little, Queer kid, stage.

508

:

I would actively look for ways to get

outta going to family Thanksgiving.

509

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Right.

510

:

We never, I, we just,

I always went to mom's.

511

:

Uh, she would always do

Thanksgiving at her house.

512

:

and then as it, the last few years,

we always went to my sister's.

513

:

And so that became the tradition.

514

:

And now, the last couple of

years we went to my niece's house

515

:

and I'm not invited this year.

516

:

So, me and Shana are gonna

have Thanksgiving on our, on

517

:

our own, so that'll be fine.

518

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: This

is the niece you just talked to.

519

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: No other niece?

520

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Oh, okay.

521

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

My sister and her kids.

522

:

That's, it was, that's who we went to.

523

:

Um, the niece that I was just

talking to was my brother's child.

524

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Okay.

525

:

Um, would say we could spin

the wheel of what have you,

526

:

it's got one thing left on it.

527

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: So

kind of a process of elimination

528

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Uh,

I'll spend the weekend beefing

529

:

that up again, and, and I'll put

a post on Facebook and, and such.

530

:

Uh, and listeners tell us on, Spotify

comments or, or, uh, I don't think you

531

:

can, well, you could leave us a review

on, uh, iTunes or Apple Podcasts,

532

:

whatever it's called, and tell us what

to go, what should go on the wheel.

533

:

but the only thing left on

it right now is critters.

534

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Critter.

535

:

Well, I got a lot of

stories about Critters

536

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: critters.

537

:

I mean, first of all, what is critters?

538

:

Like, how is it differentiated from

539

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: pet.

540

:

Yeah, the first story I thought of was

when my dog Lacey peed in your lap.

541

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Uh, and, and

that was actually, it wasn't, we had

542

:

known each other for a while by that

point, but maybe like a year, you know,

543

:

it wasn't, that was maybe only like the

second or third time I'd come over to your

544

:

house.

545

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

546

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: And I remember

leaving in a pair of your ball shorts

547

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

548

:

It was What happened?

549

:

What happened?

550

:

She was a, she was a teacup poodle.

551

:

Um, she was very tiny and we

think her son, the other dog

552

:

that we had was on Lasix.

553

:

He was on a water pill, and we think that

she ate his water pill that day because

554

:

never in her life did she pee on anybody.

555

:

That was just a lucky day for you, man.

556

:

So,

557

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: like, had

several accidents in the house after

558

:

that.

559

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: yeah.

560

:

' cause that's what water pills make.

561

:

You need to pee constantly.

562

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: and, and I

remember like, she got up in my lap.

563

:

I didn't put her there, so I think

she was trying to tell us something.

564

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

Well, she always loved boys, so

565

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I was

like, how do I tell these folks that

566

:

they're, they're talking just in my lap.

567

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

I was so embarrassed.

568

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I've, I

mean, it was, and and luckily I'm

569

:

not squeaked out by stuff like that.

570

:

I, you know,

571

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Right.

572

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: and stuff, but,

you know, and I, I felt, 'cause I totally,

573

:

I would've been embarrassed too, but I

did not, I thought it was hysterical.

574

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

575

:

With anybody else, I would've been

mortified, but you, you played it.

576

:

Cool, so I appreciated that.

577

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400:

Well, and that is tough.

578

:

I mean, some folks have big feelings

about body fluids and things like that.

579

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: yeah, for sure.

580

:

What else about critters in my

Facebook memories, uh, like two

581

:

days ago came a story, one time and

when we were doing undergrad, we,

582

:

we went to campus 'cause Shana had

to work on some studio art stuff.

583

:

And I went with her and we got out of

the car and I went to put some stuff

584

:

in the garbage can that was there.

585

:

And it was one that had like a

closed lid with a hinge on it.

586

:

And when I went to put the stuff

in the garbage can, a squirrel

587

:

came flying outta the garbage can.

588

:

And I screamed like a girl.

589

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400:

The squirrels in bg.

590

:

I, I think there was a, an

article about it actually.

591

:

They were mobilizing, no, this, this,

might have been EKU, but the, especially

592

:

squirrels that live on something

like a college campus or something

593

:

where like it has a very set culture.

594

:

They will learn and they

will coordinate and attack

595

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah, the

BG ones aren't afraid of anybody.

596

:

The BG ones run up on everybody.

597

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: if you, you

know, the black and white ones that are

598

:

there.

599

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah,

600

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I, that's the

only place I've ever seen those silky bl

601

:

like they are fully black fully white.

602

:

So I'm

603

:

not talking

604

:

about black and white striped squirrels.

605

:

So.

606

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: yeah.

607

:

see the black ones more

than the white ones.

608

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400:

Maybe the white ones get carried

609

:

off by birds of prey more.

610

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Maybe

they're over at City Park too, so

611

:

they're all over bg, just not on campus.

612

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah.

613

:

Never seen those

614

:

before.

615

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

616

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: cool looking.

617

:

they was, so when we lived on the

mountainside, there was a lot of

618

:

different kinds of wildlife deer would

walk right up to the window Have you

619

:

ever seen a fly, a cockroach that flies?

620

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: No.

621

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I think

they're called wood roaches, something.

622

:

They live in the woods.

623

:

But yeah, they can fly

624

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Ew.

625

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: yes.

626

:

One of them got in the window of my

room and it flew around and don't

627

:

remember if it touched me or not.

628

:

but I remember also it was so big

when it landed on the, the blinds.

629

:

I could hear its feet hitting

630

:

the

631

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Ah.

632

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah.

633

:

I was like, what?

634

:

I, like, I was a teenager

and I went and got my mother.

635

:

I.

636

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: When

we moved to Lucasville for that

637

:

year, just recently, my dad

had built onto the trailer.

638

:

He had made it more of a house

and he had extended the bedroom.

639

:

He had put his big safe in there.

640

:

And then he made my mom

a gift wrapping room.

641

:

And then he put this lofted

storage all over the place.

642

:

up there.

643

:

And, my sister had come down and

to go through the stuff and you

644

:

had to get on a ladder to get

up to the top storage places.

645

:

So they had left the doors open

and I wasn't climbing my big ass up

646

:

that ladder to, to close the door.

647

:

Right.

648

:

And so we're, Shana and I are

sitting there and I heard, and

649

:

I look over and there's a bat

flowing, flying right by my head.

650

:

I screamed, oh my God.

651

:

I screamed.

652

:

And it turned around, it went

back the way that it came.

653

:

And I called my neighbor and

he came up with like a hockey

654

:

mask and a ba baseball bat.

655

:

And he went and he closed it.

656

:

Like, 'cause we think that it went

back into the little hole that it came

657

:

from, because then we shut the door.

658

:

We didn't see it again.

659

:

it totally had a bat.

660

:

Fly through the,

661

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: There

were bats that would, uh, circle

662

:

around the, streetlights, when

we lived in the trailer park.

663

:

And I remember like that was often

like a sign that it was time to go

664

:

home

665

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: yeah.

666

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: They

were, copperheads up in the mountain.

667

:

They would be near the

stream, the streams.

668

:

but they were that, like a lot of

snakes are extremely skittish and

669

:

they, they were so we didn't, even

though they were probably a lot

670

:

of them, we hardly ever saw them.

671

:

We would see their little tunnels.

672

:

but I remember being scared of them every

time I was up there just convinced that

673

:

they was gonna be around the corner.

674

:

Have you ever seen a bear?

675

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: No, I

mean, when I was in Tennessee, there

676

:

was one up on the hill, but that was,

I, I wasn't anywhere close to us.

677

:

so that's the only job I've seen.

678

:

One in real life.

679

:

I've seen 'em dead on the

side of the road before.

680

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Ooh, poor bear.

681

:

I haven't seen that.

682

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Well,

in West Virginia Hills there's

683

:

a lot of of wildlife and stuff,

and they come down sometimes.

684

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: yeah,

there were, there were bears

685

:

on our mountainside and I can't

remember ever actually seeing one.

686

:

I think we've talked about this

before, like the screams in the hills

687

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: There's

a lot of coyotes in our hills

688

:

and they, they scream.

689

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: yeah, they do

a, I think a lot of people think that,

690

:

the Appalachian screams are bobcats.

691

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah,

692

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: in

captivity they'll make this sound

693

:

that sounds just like, especially

like a child or a woman, someone

694

:

with a high pitched voice screaming.

695

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

it's creepy is all I know.

696

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I was gonna,

there's, I have some sad stories about

697

:

wildlife, but I think I won't tell him

698

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

I think of one story that's

699

:

completely inappropriate to tell.

700

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: uh, so

much of like wildlife stories is us.

701

:

It's like us against them.

702

:

Like

703

:

they're,

704

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah,

705

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: we are where

we're not supposed to be or they're

706

:

where they're not supposed to be.

707

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: yeah.

708

:

on that same hill with the, we

saw snakes, we saw big, long

709

:

snakes in the driveway, and so

we bought snake repellent, which

710

:

I didn't even know was a thing.

711

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Hmm.

712

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: they come in

little balls and you throw 'em all over.

713

:

We had snake repellent balls all

over, around the front of the porch

714

:

and under the porch and stuff.

715

:

no, thank you.

716

:

And then when, uh, when Clitha moved

out, she left a garbage bag of her stuff

717

:

sitting on the porch, and she didn't

tell me that there was food in the bag.

718

:

And one of the things on the bag,

because I saw, so I left it sitting

719

:

there for a few days 'cause I didn't

think there was anything in there.

720

:

And we had to take our garbage down the

hill to the, the dumpster down there.

721

:

She left a whole unopened bag of peanuts

in the shell and a raccoon got into it

722

:

and it looked like there was a bomb that

went off that was filled with peanuts.

723

:

They were everywhere.

724

:

We had a lot of critters we had

to deal with up on that hill.

725

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400:

Have you ever had chiggers?

726

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

I don't think so.

727

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: You

know what I'm talking about?

728

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: No.

729

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Oh, I

don't know what their real name is.

730

:

It's some sort of might

lives in, tall grass.

731

:

mom always said that they preferred

to live in Queen Anne's lace.

732

:

You know, that, that

733

:

like white

734

:

flower.

735

:

Sometimes they call berry bugs or

bush mites or scrub itch mites.

736

:

they look kind of like.

737

:

Prickly bedbugs, but they are

microscopic Well, they, they were

738

:

real bad in, Jellico and Williamsburg

there in that area, and they burrow

739

:

down into the skin I think just vibe.

740

:

I don't know if it's a bite.

741

:

I could be totally wrong about how

all this, maybe they don't actually

742

:

burrow around, down in the skin.

743

:

Maybe that's an old wives stale, but

they make a red a little red sore

744

:

and it itches like a mosquito bite.

745

:

But you know how a mosquito bite

can, can stop itching after anywhere

746

:

from a few hours to a couple

days, chiggers itch for weeks.

747

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Oh God.,

748

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Just

think of the Itst that a, a mosquito

749

:

bite ever gets like peak itchiness.

750

:

It's that and it's constant

and nothing stops it.

751

:

. And they hatch from a nest.

752

:

I worked for a whitewater rafting

outfitters there on Cumberland River.

753

:

And so we lived in the woods, but

it's really close to my parents.

754

:

And so we would come up to my

parents' house and hang out

755

:

there sometimes to break up the

monotony and have indoor plumbing.

756

:

we would still hang out outside.

757

:

We lit a fire up, down by the,

uh, trash pile where my mom would

758

:

burn, brush and had a cooler.

759

:

We were sitting there drinking beer.

760

:

It was me and these two girls.

761

:

one of the girls was named Tiffany.

762

:

The other one was named Neely.

763

:

And I was, I was dating her that

summer and Tiffany, we had showers

764

:

at the Outfitters, but it was cold

water and it was uncomfortable.

765

:

So Tiffany just simply didn't take them.

766

:

she would take a dip in the river

every day whenever we went on the trip.

767

:

And to her, that was a bath.

768

:

Mind you, we called the

Cumberland River, the Scumberland.

769

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Oh wow.

770

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: you

weren't getting clean coming outta

771

:

that.

772

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

773

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400:

this, was her hygiene.

774

:

So this is another reason

we were hanging out outside.

775

:

I was sitting on the cooler and

they were sitting in the ground.

776

:

The next morning, me and Neely Wake up

covered in hundreds of trigger bytes,

777

:

head to toe, and they love the creases.

778

:

like ass crack behind the knees, elbow

bends anywhere you like under the boobs.

779

:

It was awful.

780

:

Literally hundreds of trigger bytes.

781

:

Tiffany didn't have a one,

782

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Oh wow.

783

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: they were, they

stayed for weeks and we were miserable.

784

:

We clawed trenches in

our skin, in our sleep,

785

:

to, we had to put socks on

our hands to go to sleep.

786

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: So I

had the chicken pox the summer

787

:

after I graduated from high school.

788

:

I was 17.

789

:

Oh my God.

790

:

That I under, I do understand the itching.

791

:

That won't stop.

792

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400:

You know, it does, it did

793

:

kinda remind me of the chicken

794

:

pox and, and you look like you've got.

795

:

Measles or something like that.

796

:

And there was all these, we were

trying every old wives tale we

797

:

could think of rubbing, turpentine

on it, which hurt like hell.

798

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

799

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: nail polish

on it because somebody told us that.

800

:

Putting nail polish on it.

801

:

Can you imagine sitting there putting

nail polish, painting it under your,

802

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Oh

803

:

no.

804

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I still have

a fear of Queen Ann's lace because I'm

805

:

convinced I'm gonna get Chis from 'em.

806

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Aw.

807

:

I don't know who gave me the chicken pox,

but I'm still pretty bitter about it.

808

:

I was 17.

809

:

I'd already graduated high school.

810

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: do

you think it was orchestrated?

811

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: No.

812

:

mom thought I'd already had 'em

813

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: oh.

814

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: I was the

baby and my, my brother and sister had

815

:

'em when they were young and so she

just, memory didn't serve correctly

816

:

and she remembered that we all three

had 'em when I wasn't even born yet.

817

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: That must

be hard to keep track of actually.

818

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

yeah, I bet it is.

819

:

I can't remember from teaching

the same class back to back

820

:

what I've said in each class.

821

:

I can't imagine remembering

which kid had had what it

822

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah.

823

:

Yeah.

824

:

I thi, I'm pretty sure I got mine from

a sleepover and I think the sleepover

825

:

over was orchestrated chickenpox party

826

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: gotcha.

827

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: and listeners,

I don't know if you've heard of this,

828

:

but some parents will, if a kid gets

chickenpox, you want the kid to get

829

:

chickenpox, like everyone needs to get it.

830

:

because it's very dangerous

to get them as an adult.

831

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yes.

832

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: So they

would have, sleepovers with a kid

833

:

if somebody came up, you know,

oh, such and such, got chickenpox.

834

:

Let's go, let's hurry and get

all the kids together so they all

835

:

catch it, which is diabolical, but

836

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

837

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: really smart.

838

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: It's probably

not a thing anymore with the vaccines.

839

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400:

Is there a vaccine for

840

:

chickenpox?

841

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: yeah.

842

:

Yep.

843

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: cool.

844

:

It It's the same virus as shingles,

845

:

isn't it?

846

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Mm-hmm.

847

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah.

848

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yep.

849

:

If you have chickenpox,

you can get shingles.

850

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah.

851

:

I've had it a couple times.

852

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

My sister deals with it.

853

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: miserable.

854

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

855

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: When

did you get your first pet?

856

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Um, before

I can remember, there's pictures

857

:

of me with a dog that we named

John Boy, um, when I was very, very

858

:

little, like a year and a half old.

859

:

the first one that was mine was

a cat named Pedro, the Devil Cat.

860

:

he, he had some kind of leukemia

or something, and he, mom told

861

:

me she took him to a farm.

862

:

She literally told me that after I

left for school, we had a dog named

863

:

Toby that he was my, he my uncle

bought her for, for his granddaughter.

864

:

And he, he bit her.

865

:

So he gave her, he gave him to us.

866

:

So we had Toby.

867

:

but then on my own, my first

cat was a cat named Trance.

868

:

He was a, he was parch.

869

:

Norwegian Forest cat, I'm convinced.

870

:

'cause he looks like him and he was

bigger than the dog and he was huge

871

:

and he was, his tail was

ginormous and he was a badass.

872

:

But I loved him.

873

:

He was my badass.

874

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400:

Have you ever ridden a horse?

875

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yes.

876

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400:

Are you good at riding

877

:

horses?

878

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: No,

879

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: How'd it go?

880

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

I've done it a couple of times.

881

:

The, when we were, it was when

we were in Iowa, I remember

882

:

specifically we were doing that.

883

:

we went to stay with my dad for a

couple of weeks in the summer and the

884

:

horse threw my brother off of him.

885

:

And I thought that was hilarious.

886

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400:

Horses scare the daylights out of

887

:

me.

888

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

889

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: just

so big, and I've been kicked by

890

:

one and I've been thrown by one.

891

:

there was, uh, a very unruly horse

at the farm that we spent a lot

892

:

of time at, and he, he just put

the fear of equine entity into me.

893

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: And then when

I worked for autism services, one of my

894

:

clients, um, had equine therapy and so

we went to the barn once a week and I

895

:

got to help her, like doing the brushing

and, and doing the things that she did.

896

:

So that was fun.

897

:

That was fun.

898

:

But I didn't ride.

899

:

Then I just helped her do some of

the, she rode and she enjoyed it.

900

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I

also just think they're all

901

:

like amazing and beautiful.

902

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Mm-hmm.

903

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: tendency

to love things I also have a fear

904

:

of, I'm the same way with the ocean.

905

:

I'm fascinated by the ocean,

but it scares the life

906

:

outta me.

907

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: I had

an uncle die in the ocean and

908

:

it scares me an under a riptide.

909

:

Got him.

910

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: yeah.

911

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: And he

was a big, strong, huge man and

912

:

he died saving his stepdaughter.

913

:

if it can take my uncle

Timmy, it can take anybody.

914

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah.

915

:

I mean, you can drown in an inch

of water, so why do I need to go

916

:

getting in, a thousand feet of water?

917

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Well

I hurt my leg at the beach.

918

:

Um, yeah, so I,

919

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: beef too.

920

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: yeah, I,

yeah, I got sand with SA in it on

921

:

my leg and it opened up a huge wound

and I dealt with that for years.

922

:

I still deal with the swelling of

it 'cause I've got lymphedema in my

923

:

legs and they swell and they swell

really weirdly around my scars and

924

:

it hurts, I don't recommend it.

925

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: My mom has had

lymphedema since she had breast cancer.

926

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Oh, wow.

927

:

I think it's related to my PCOS

polycystic ovarian syndrome, which

928

:

'cause it makes you insulin resistant and

everything else because basically I had

929

:

a diabetic wound before I was diabetic.

930

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: know,

isn't it just fucking crazy how

931

:

some diseases will gang up on

932

:

you?

933

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: yeah,

934

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: they

bring their friends comorbidities

935

:

of, um, like Ehlers Danlos syndrome.

936

:

That's what's taking me out right now.

937

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: yeah, yeah.

938

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Like,

oh, you, you're such a bully.

939

:

You can't come on your own.

940

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Lame.

941

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Lame.

942

:

It gets dark here at 4:00 PM now.

943

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: It's

about five when it gets here.

944

:

Now we're supposed to get

our first snow this weekend.

945

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: know.

946

:

I don't think we are.

947

:

for a while, but yeah.

948

:

I think in Kentucky too, they're

talking, my family was talking

949

:

about how they might get theirs.

950

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

Up to an inch they said,

951

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: I

keep thinking it's still October.

952

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

but it is not sadly,

953

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: not.

954

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: but I

got my, my winter coat all fixed up.

955

:

Uh, I bought a really nice coat last

winter 'cause it was our first winter

956

:

back up here and I wasn't gonna be cold.

957

:

So I got me a real Midwestern.

958

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Yeah.

959

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400:

fleece on the inside and, plastic

960

:

shell on the outside, basically.

961

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: yeah.

962

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: it, it

was really warm, but my backpack

963

:

got stuck on it last year as I

was trying to get in the car.

964

:

And when I pulled it, it ripped.

965

:

but I had a really nice old lady.

966

:

She was the cutest thing

I've ever seen in my life.

967

:

Her name was Maggie and

she gave me back my coat.

968

:

I just gave it to her and she gave it

back to me in this little thank you bag.

969

:

That was adorable.

970

:

She was 79 years old.

971

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Wow.

972

:

Out.

973

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: yeah.

974

:

And my coat looks great,

and it was only 20 bucks.

975

:

I tipped her $5 too, so,

976

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: That's

977

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: yeah.

978

:

Yeah.

979

:

So that was a good experience.

980

:

And then we bought, we just

bought Shanna a coat this week

981

:

too, so she's ready to go.

982

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: when you were

a kid and you could walk out in a a, a

983

:

flannel and may be a hoodie and be fine.

984

:

Come what?

985

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Yeah.

986

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: and

now you gotta I got, I have

987

:

pants with fleece lining in them.

988

:

Multiple pairs.

989

:

Multiple

990

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: I

can't do that 'cause I will

991

:

sweat my ass off if I do that.

992

:

So I haven't gone that far.

993

:

But I do have a coat

'cause I can take it off.

994

:

'cause I sweat like nobody's business.

995

:

dash_11_11-07-2025_172400: Oh, I do,

I have a hypo hyperhydrosis, but I've

996

:

also never experienced a winter like

Minnesota is, I think Claire put it best.

997

:

She said Minnesota is the final

boss of winter because once it

998

:

gets cold it just stays below zero.

999

:

beck_11_11-07-2025_182400: Plus

we're, I have to use wide leg pants

:

00:41:16,734 --> 00:41:19,314

'cause my, the lymphedema in my legs.

:

00:41:19,534 --> 00:41:23,314

so I, I, a lot of those want to be

narrow lagged and I just, I can't,

:

00:41:23,434 --> 00:41:24,874

my legs won't even fit in them.

:

00:41:25,409 --> 00:41:26,909

-:

You might need the snow pants.

:

00:41:26,909 --> 00:41:27,449

-:

:

00:41:27,894 --> 00:41:29,064

-:

I got a pair of those too

:

00:41:29,064 --> 00:41:29,664

-:

:

00:41:29,664 --> 00:41:30,534

-:

:

00:41:30,917 --> 00:41:34,770

But there was a couple of days I

also bought, of the Carhartt, like

:

00:41:34,770 --> 00:41:37,860

super heavy duty lined coveralls.

:

00:41:37,860 --> 00:41:38,280

-:

:

00:41:38,713 --> 00:41:40,273

-:

Had to wear them a few days

:

00:41:40,273 --> 00:41:41,113

-:

:

00:41:41,113 --> 00:41:42,733

-:

not, I'm not even talking wind chill.

:

00:41:42,733 --> 00:41:45,163

It is actually just negative 20 degrees.

:

00:41:45,423 --> 00:41:45,993

-:

:

00:41:51,461 --> 00:41:55,241

The coldest it's been here since I have

lived here, was my first winter here,

:

00:41:55,571 --> 00:41:57,791

and the windshield got to negative 47.

:

00:41:58,001 --> 00:41:58,331

-:

:

00:41:58,381 --> 00:41:59,371

-:

You would've been here too.

:

00:41:59,401 --> 00:41:59,701

Yeah.

:

00:41:59,891 --> 00:42:00,101

-:

:

00:42:00,491 --> 00:42:03,221

Um, that, that was, up until

that point, the coldest

:

00:42:03,221 --> 00:42:04,541

temperature I've ever experienced

:

00:42:04,891 --> 00:42:05,281

-:

:

00:42:05,281 --> 00:42:06,571

-:

and I didn't know about it.

:

00:42:06,571 --> 00:42:09,031

And, and they had said like,

you can't go out and drive.

:

00:42:09,031 --> 00:42:10,981

They put it was a level four,

:

00:42:11,361 --> 00:42:12,216

-:

:

00:42:12,241 --> 00:42:14,701

-:

is, the one where it's only people who

:

00:42:15,031 --> 00:42:19,231

are, or emergency personnel or um, like

federal officials are allowed to drive.

:

00:42:19,608 --> 00:42:24,018

and we remember we had to like have a

Twitter war to get, um, Maisie to shut

:

00:42:24,018 --> 00:42:24,378

the school

:

00:42:24,428 --> 00:42:24,908

-:

:

00:42:25,148 --> 00:42:25,838

Yep.

:

00:42:25,838 --> 00:42:27,338

-:

had just come out, so I just

:

00:42:27,338 --> 00:42:29,168

remember watching all the memes.

:

00:42:29,168 --> 00:42:32,798

Come at her, you know, like they were

Photoshopping, her face onto Elsa.

:

00:42:32,798 --> 00:42:33,788

The cold never bothered

:

00:42:33,788 --> 00:42:33,938

me.

:

00:42:34,198 --> 00:42:36,328

-:

the whole Twitter war about it.

:

00:42:36,388 --> 00:42:36,778

Yeah.

:

00:42:36,968 --> 00:42:38,078

-:

:

00:42:38,108 --> 00:42:40,358

The kids, they were like,

we are not doing this.

:

00:42:40,358 --> 00:42:41,588

You mean bitch

:

00:42:42,578 --> 00:42:43,208

school?

:

00:42:43,538 --> 00:42:44,678

This is dangerous.

:

00:42:44,968 --> 00:42:47,188

-:

closed school last winter here.

:

00:42:47,248 --> 00:42:51,088

Um, like at 6:00 PM like they closed

all the classes from 6:00 PM on because

:

00:42:51,088 --> 00:42:52,918

it was so dark and, and so cold.

:

00:42:53,078 --> 00:42:53,378

-:

:

00:42:53,398 --> 00:42:54,718

-:

did that a couple of times last

:

00:42:54,718 --> 00:42:56,818

semester, or not the semester before.

:

00:42:56,918 --> 00:42:58,478

-:

what her problem was, but she never

:

00:42:58,478 --> 00:43:00,068

wanted to let 'em stay home when it

:

00:43:00,068 --> 00:43:00,368

got

:

00:43:00,688 --> 00:43:00,988

-:

:

00:43:00,988 --> 00:43:01,048

Yeah.

:

00:43:01,868 --> 00:43:03,608

-:

so they canceled everything.

:

00:43:03,608 --> 00:43:06,608

And so I thought, well I'll,

I down to the store and, and

:

00:43:06,608 --> 00:43:07,838

you know, get me a six pack.

:

00:43:07,838 --> 00:43:10,958

cause I lived down the street

from, um, west Side six

:

00:43:11,193 --> 00:43:11,483

-:

:

00:43:11,676 --> 00:43:13,116

-:

so I was like, I want to get a

:

00:43:13,116 --> 00:43:16,806

shawarma and a beer South side six.

:

00:43:16,806 --> 00:43:17,136

Right.

:

00:43:17,369 --> 00:43:18,869

So, I put on a bunch of layers.

:

00:43:18,869 --> 00:43:22,109

I had my blue jeans, I put on my

tights underneath them, had my

:

00:43:22,109 --> 00:43:30,126

socks, had my boots put on, thermal

flannel, hoodie, coat, scarf hat.

:

00:43:30,276 --> 00:43:33,366

I mean, I was like, I even thought

like, this is probably overkill.

:

00:43:33,756 --> 00:43:37,716

And I went outside and

I was like, wow, okay.

:

00:43:38,176 --> 00:43:39,256

I'll walk fast.

:

00:43:39,656 --> 00:43:43,046

I got maybe halfway there and

realized that my legs were

:

00:43:43,046 --> 00:43:44,126

numb, couldn't feel 'em at

:

00:43:44,126 --> 00:43:44,396

all.

:

00:43:44,771 --> 00:43:45,191

-:

:

00:43:45,696 --> 00:43:47,556

-:

remember why, but I pulled my phone out

:

00:43:47,556 --> 00:43:49,386

to look at it and the phone had died.

:

00:43:49,386 --> 00:43:52,026

It was so, it, it got so

cold that it bricked up the

:

00:43:52,026 --> 00:43:52,446

phone.

:

00:43:52,676 --> 00:43:53,756

-:

:

00:43:54,066 --> 00:43:55,896

-:

So I was like, I'm in danger.

:

00:43:58,206 --> 00:43:59,946

So I just turned right

around and went back.

:

00:44:00,006 --> 00:44:01,686

I was like, I don't need it that bad.

:

00:44:02,379 --> 00:44:03,729

-:

were probably closed anyway.

:

00:44:04,239 --> 00:44:05,859

Wouldn't that have sucked if

you got all the way there and

:

00:44:05,859 --> 00:44:06,514

it would, they would've closed.

:

00:44:06,844 --> 00:44:07,564

-:

:

00:44:07,594 --> 00:44:07,924

Yeah.

:

00:44:07,924 --> 00:44:11,644

And I didn't, well, because I didn't

understand how dangerous it was.

:

00:44:11,644 --> 00:44:13,054

I'd never experienced that before.

:

00:44:13,294 --> 00:44:13,864

-:

:

00:44:14,019 --> 00:44:15,849

It gets so cold they can't salt the roads.

:

00:44:15,849 --> 00:44:17,079

That's what's wild to me

:

00:44:17,336 --> 00:44:18,116

-:

how's that work?

:

00:44:18,453 --> 00:44:20,793

-:

the, they use sand instead of salt

:

00:44:20,823 --> 00:44:23,613

after the sand because it gets to

a point where the, it's a melting

:

00:44:23,613 --> 00:44:26,703

temperature is below the freezing

temperature of the, the salt water.

:

00:44:26,758 --> 00:44:27,388

-:

:

00:44:27,843 --> 00:44:28,113

-:

:

00:44:28,113 --> 00:44:29,253

So they have to use sand.

:

00:44:29,488 --> 00:44:30,448

-:

They don't do shit here.

:

00:44:31,353 --> 00:44:32,313

-:

:

00:44:32,428 --> 00:44:35,698

-:

scrape, but they don't, plow it.

:

00:44:35,698 --> 00:44:39,791

So, um, they, they don't actually

put the, what's it called?

:

00:44:39,791 --> 00:44:42,401

That part, the shovel part of a plow.

:

00:44:42,688 --> 00:44:43,558

Maybe it's just plow.

:

00:44:43,811 --> 00:44:46,241

it does, doesn't actually

touch the, the road.

:

00:44:46,434 --> 00:44:49,344

It's a few inches above it,

and they just try to flatten.

:

00:44:49,404 --> 00:44:52,524

That's all they're trying to do is

flatten it out and people will, if you

:

00:44:52,524 --> 00:44:54,864

can drive on top of it, more power to you.

:

00:44:55,141 --> 00:44:58,921

but because they have to do it so

often, they would just destroy the road.

:

00:44:59,278 --> 00:45:00,658

cause the snow happens here.

:

00:45:00,658 --> 00:45:04,198

It like snows doesn't melt,

snows again, doesn't melt.

:

00:45:04,468 --> 00:45:08,638

. So over the winter it's just piled

up to, there were mountains of snow

:

00:45:08,638 --> 00:45:10,438

that were three times my height.

:

00:45:10,983 --> 00:45:11,913

-:

:

00:45:11,968 --> 00:45:12,988

-:

seen anything like it.

:

00:45:13,473 --> 00:45:13,923

-:

:

00:45:14,158 --> 00:45:14,908

-:

:

00:45:14,908 --> 00:45:18,088

It's, it is a little bad ass, but

it's also just wildly uncomfortable.

:

00:45:18,088 --> 00:45:18,208

It's

:

00:45:18,208 --> 00:45:18,898

miserable.

:

00:45:19,211 --> 00:45:22,061

-:

is not ready for the cold temperatures.

:

00:45:22,121 --> 00:45:23,231

It just is not.

:

00:45:23,708 --> 00:45:28,898

I have no want to live south of here

in any regard, you know, because

:

00:45:28,928 --> 00:45:32,048

the size of the bugs, when it gets

hotter, that's just too much for me.

:

00:45:32,438 --> 00:45:34,058

But on the other hand, I don't know.

:

00:45:34,118 --> 00:45:35,678

Shana wants to go further north.

:

00:45:35,918 --> 00:45:39,968

She wants to go to the UP, would be

her ideal destination for retirement.

:

00:45:40,398 --> 00:45:42,138

-:

I tell you what about this area?

:

00:45:42,258 --> 00:45:43,848

it is not shy of bugs.

:

00:45:44,293 --> 00:45:47,743

Granted, they're not interesting

bugs, they're not scary or whatever,

:

00:45:47,743 --> 00:45:50,806

but they, what they don't have in

size, they make up for in number.

:

00:45:51,105 --> 00:45:52,455

The air is bugs.

:

00:45:52,755 --> 00:45:57,105

Like I, I, I got to where I had

to train myself to be able to run

:

00:45:57,105 --> 00:45:59,355

without breathing through my mouth

because I would, you would choke on

:

00:45:59,355 --> 00:45:59,865

bugs.

:

00:46:00,005 --> 00:46:01,205

-:

:

00:46:01,643 --> 00:46:03,653

-:

there's a joke here that the, the

:

00:46:03,653 --> 00:46:05,303

Minnesota State bird is the mosquito

:

00:46:05,563 --> 00:46:05,893

-:

:

00:46:07,103 --> 00:46:07,913

-:

and they ain't lying.

:

00:46:08,623 --> 00:46:08,983

-:

:

00:46:09,983 --> 00:46:11,663

-:

maybe let's hear from this week's

:

00:46:11,663 --> 00:46:16,163

sponsor that I've already forgotten

because I took my medicine.

:

00:46:16,193 --> 00:46:17,213

I don't even remember what I wrote.

:

00:46:17,663 --> 00:46:18,263

Lord.

:

00:46:18,293 --> 00:46:19,043

Strap in y'all.

:

00:46:20,613 --> 00:46:21,813

Uh, disclaimer.

:

00:46:22,083 --> 00:46:23,488

I was not in my right

mind when I wrote this.

:

00:46:25,147 --> 00:46:25,747

okay.

:

00:46:25,807 --> 00:46:28,777

This week's episode of Queernecks

is brought to you by Mumble Deeg,

:

00:46:29,917 --> 00:46:33,847

teaching folks how to stay steady

since about the dawn of any other bad

:

00:46:33,847 --> 00:46:39,577

idea, born of an abundance of time,

sharp things, and a paucity of sense.

:

00:46:39,847 --> 00:46:43,627

Mumble dep was what you did when you

wanted to prove that you had some nerve.

:

00:46:44,257 --> 00:46:47,617

You'd flip the blade from your

hand, your elbow, maybe your

:

00:46:47,617 --> 00:46:49,027

nose if you were showing off.

:

00:46:49,327 --> 00:46:52,237

The winner sticks, the blade in the

dirt, the loser roots in the dust

:

00:46:52,237 --> 00:46:53,767

with their teeth to pull the peg out.

:

00:46:54,247 --> 00:46:56,167

No, I am not making this up.

:

00:46:56,167 --> 00:46:57,727

This was a real game we played.

:

00:46:58,537 --> 00:47:01,447

never was a better metaphor

for the indignities of poverty,

:

00:47:01,447 --> 00:47:03,457

scarcity, and messy tenacity.

:

00:47:03,898 --> 00:47:07,258

This is not a true game of

skill, but rather one of chance.

:

00:47:07,618 --> 00:47:11,248

. The real sport of mumble deeg is in

keeping cool when the blade lands

:

00:47:11,248 --> 00:47:14,908

closer and closer to your toe with

each drop about acting like you

:

00:47:14,908 --> 00:47:16,948

weren't scared of bleeding a little.

:

00:47:17,338 --> 00:47:18,328

That's a language.

:

00:47:18,328 --> 00:47:22,738

Rural folks learn to understand

early stoicism pride and the

:

00:47:22,738 --> 00:47:24,298

kind of stubborn self-assurance.

:

00:47:24,298 --> 00:47:27,538

You can't learn from a YouTube

tutorial, there's something

:

00:47:27,538 --> 00:47:29,518

altogether queer about mumble deeg.

:

00:47:29,908 --> 00:47:33,778

We play it every time we walk into

a new space and measure how safe

:

00:47:33,778 --> 00:47:38,008

it feels every time we say our

name out loud and hope it sticks.

:

00:47:38,428 --> 00:47:40,378

We've learned to hold our hands steady.

:

00:47:40,468 --> 00:47:43,953

Flip the blade just right and smile

like it doesn't still make us nervous.

:

00:47:45,253 --> 00:47:48,793

Mumbley Peg was never for the faint

of heart, and neither is growing

:

00:47:48,793 --> 00:47:52,093

up queer in a town where the church

bells outnumber the stoplights.

:

00:47:52,453 --> 00:47:53,443

But here's the secret.

:

00:47:53,533 --> 00:47:56,893

Once you've learned to laugh with a

knife in your hand and mud on your

:

00:47:56,893 --> 00:47:59,353

knees, the world can't scare you as much.

:

00:48:00,133 --> 00:48:03,493

this fall, Queernecks invites

you to play your very queerest

:

00:48:03,493 --> 00:48:05,143

game and make it look easy.

:

00:48:05,503 --> 00:48:09,583

Show up loud, stick your landing,

and if you fall flat, pick yourself

:

00:48:09,583 --> 00:48:12,823

up, spit out the dirt and declare

that it was simply character work.

:

00:48:13,573 --> 00:48:15,613

This week's episode is

sponsored by Mumble Deeg.

:

00:48:16,778 --> 00:48:18,108

-:

never heard of that in my life.

:

00:48:18,523 --> 00:48:19,063

-:

You never played it.

:

00:48:19,063 --> 00:48:20,413

We played it on the school.

:

00:48:20,743 --> 00:48:22,933

We played it on the playground

in elementary school.

:

00:48:23,278 --> 00:48:24,293

-:

So what are the rules?

:

00:48:24,293 --> 00:48:24,593

What do you do?

:

00:48:25,063 --> 00:48:28,393

-:

it, it's a pocket knife and the goal

:

00:48:28,393 --> 00:48:32,323

is to drop it in such a way that

the knife sticks into the ground.

:

00:48:32,323 --> 00:48:33,853

So it has to, it has to land.

:

00:48:33,853 --> 00:48:34,813

Stand it up like that.

:

00:48:34,813 --> 00:48:39,242

And you can either play like

one-on-one verses and you know.

:

00:48:39,415 --> 00:48:40,945

whoever sticks it is the winner.

:

00:48:41,175 --> 00:48:43,875

and if you both stick it, whoever sticks

up, the straightest is the winner.

:

00:48:43,875 --> 00:48:47,322

or you can play it like a

round elimination, you could set

:

00:48:47,322 --> 00:48:48,132

it up a lot of different ways.

:

00:48:48,432 --> 00:48:52,122

But ultimately it is all about

eliminating somebody who has to remove

:

00:48:52,122 --> 00:48:53,562

the mumbly peg with their teeth.

:

00:48:53,562 --> 00:48:57,258

So it's, you've stuck a, twig

or something into the ground.

:

00:48:57,558 --> 00:49:00,108

You look for the muddiest messiest

part or whatever, and you try

:

00:49:00,108 --> 00:49:01,158

to stick it down real deep.

:

00:49:01,578 --> 00:49:03,798

and then the loser has to

pull it out with their teeth.

:

00:49:09,528 --> 00:49:12,618

Just imagine a bunch of

second graders playing this in

:

00:49:15,078 --> 00:49:16,658

-:

graders with pocket knives.

:

00:49:16,668 --> 00:49:17,088

-:

:

00:49:17,298 --> 00:49:17,778

Oh yeah.

:

00:49:18,198 --> 00:49:19,038

-:

:

00:49:19,630 --> 00:49:21,580

-:

nothing like that like that y'all played

:

00:49:21,580 --> 00:49:25,810

where, or maybe you think back and you're

like, that was this unusual thing we did.

:

00:49:26,181 --> 00:49:26,721

-:

:

00:49:26,721 --> 00:49:29,691

We would go to Walmart and pretend

to get married in the craft section

:

00:49:29,691 --> 00:49:30,861

because there was nothing else to do.

:

00:49:32,251 --> 00:49:35,071

-:

I love Walmart improv.

:

00:49:35,421 --> 00:49:36,231

-:

:

00:49:36,361 --> 00:49:37,411

-:

did a bunch of that too.

:

00:49:37,479 --> 00:49:41,409

we got kicked out a few times for some

things and some of them were import taste,

:

00:49:41,409 --> 00:49:43,059

like we were pretending to be panhandler.

:

00:49:43,149 --> 00:49:43,629

One time

:

00:49:43,797 --> 00:49:44,247

-:

:

00:49:44,491 --> 00:49:45,931

-:

took my guitar and we sat down

:

00:49:45,931 --> 00:49:49,231

and we put a hat out and pretended

to be begging for dollars and.

:

00:49:49,666 --> 00:49:50,986

We didn't know that that was illegal.

:

00:49:53,393 --> 00:49:54,323

We just thought it was funny.

:

00:49:55,043 --> 00:49:57,173

So not only was it in poor

taste, it was also illegal.

:

00:49:57,173 --> 00:50:00,653

And one of the many things we probably

should have gone to jail for as kids.

:

00:50:01,328 --> 00:50:05,198

But yeah, we would also go in and we would

have, water gun fights in the aisles.

:

00:50:05,579 --> 00:50:07,409

We played dodge ball in there one time.

:

00:50:09,724 --> 00:50:10,894

-:

That's like a goal

:

00:50:11,309 --> 00:50:13,799

-:

might have been the last time we were,

:

00:50:14,243 --> 00:50:15,323

-:

allowed in there.

:

00:50:15,558 --> 00:50:17,658

-:

and, and you also, 'cause it was

:

00:50:17,658 --> 00:50:20,028

the only Walmart in a a hundred mile

:

00:50:20,028 --> 00:50:20,598

radius.

:

00:50:21,038 --> 00:50:21,258

-:

:

00:50:21,288 --> 00:50:22,968

-:

truth about why you can't go back.

:

00:50:25,668 --> 00:50:27,258

Mom would be like, let's

stop in the Walmart.

:

00:50:27,288 --> 00:50:28,338

Oh, I got something to do.

:

00:50:28,338 --> 00:50:29,208

Can you drop me off?

:

00:50:29,298 --> 00:50:29,688

Uh,

:

00:50:32,984 --> 00:50:36,404

but, and then they, they'll forget

though, like ultimately whenever I would,

:

00:50:36,494 --> 00:50:38,604

it's maybe you're just in a different

context when you're with your parent.

:

00:50:39,225 --> 00:50:39,515

-:

:

00:50:39,823 --> 00:50:41,653

-:

kicked outta places back then, especially

:

00:50:41,653 --> 00:50:43,003

before their cameras were very good.

:

00:50:43,003 --> 00:50:44,953

It was just sort of like,

don't come back for a week.

:

00:50:45,348 --> 00:50:45,638

-:

:

00:50:46,128 --> 00:50:48,498

-:

give us a noun of Appalachian interest?

:

00:50:49,028 --> 00:50:50,313

-:

I absolutely do.

:

00:50:50,838 --> 00:50:51,828

-:

:

00:50:52,373 --> 00:50:53,063

-:

:

00:50:53,063 --> 00:50:55,133

I'm doing this one in honor of Shanna.

:

00:50:55,368 --> 00:50:55,698

-:

:

00:50:55,788 --> 00:50:56,268

Okay.

:

00:50:56,783 --> 00:50:58,724

-:

back to Nouns of Appalachian Interest,

:

00:50:58,724 --> 00:51:02,564

the part of Queernecks where we take

something simple, stare at it lovingly

:

00:51:02,564 --> 00:51:04,454

for way too long, and call it culture.

:

00:51:04,724 --> 00:51:07,484

Today's noun, the West Virginia slaw Dog.

:

00:51:07,869 --> 00:51:11,049

Now let's clear up this up before we

lose any listeners in the parking lot.

:

00:51:11,049 --> 00:51:14,739

A true West Virginia slaw dog

is not chili, onions and slaw.

:

00:51:14,979 --> 00:51:18,639

It's a union of chaos and hubris,

and we are not here for it.

:

00:51:18,639 --> 00:51:19,749

No, it's a proper slaw.

:

00:51:19,749 --> 00:51:21,819

Dog is just a hotdog with cole slaw.

:

00:51:22,029 --> 00:51:22,539

That's it.

:

00:51:22,539 --> 00:51:23,139

Nothing else.

:

00:51:23,139 --> 00:51:24,859

Just meat and mayonnaise

holding hands in public.

:

00:51:26,103 --> 00:51:29,793

You can trace the slaw dog back to

the mid-century roadside stands and

:

00:51:29,793 --> 00:51:31,653

Dairy Queens across West Virginia.

:

00:51:31,953 --> 00:51:34,623

The kind with neon signs that

buzzed like lightning bugs

:

00:51:34,623 --> 00:51:35,973

and picnic tables out front.

:

00:51:36,303 --> 00:51:40,323

Sometimes after the war, folks started

spooning the same creamy slaw that topped

:

00:51:40,323 --> 00:51:42,723

their fried fish onto their hot dogs.

:

00:51:42,933 --> 00:51:45,738

Probably because somebody's aunt

got tired of using two bowls.

:

00:51:46,263 --> 00:51:49,803

The result was a revelation, cold

crunch, meaning warm dog and a bun

:

00:51:49,803 --> 00:51:51,633

so soft it could double as a pillow.

:

00:51:52,143 --> 00:51:55,753

By the:

drive-ins, gas stations, the little

:

00:51:55,753 --> 00:51:57,493

dairy queen off of Route 60 in St.

:

00:51:57,493 --> 00:51:59,233

Alban's, the tasty freeze.

:

00:51:59,233 --> 00:52:03,253

At Charleston, you could order one for

lunch or grab a grape knee high and still

:

00:52:03,253 --> 00:52:05,383

have change left over to play the jukebox.

:

00:52:05,759 --> 00:52:08,459

The thing about the slaw dog

is that it's quietly radical.

:

00:52:08,459 --> 00:52:10,289

It doesn't perform for outsiders.

:

00:52:10,469 --> 00:52:13,109

It doesn't care about

elevated southern cuisine.

:

00:52:13,349 --> 00:52:16,439

It's the kind of food that looks you

dead in the eye and says, honey, this

:

00:52:16,439 --> 00:52:18,029

is what we had and we made it work.

:

00:52:18,059 --> 00:52:20,369

It's Appalachian thrift turned into joy.

:

00:52:20,659 --> 00:52:22,819

Now that slaw, that's where the art lives.

:

00:52:22,962 --> 00:52:25,602

You'll see two major schools

of thought, sweet mayo slaw

:

00:52:25,602 --> 00:52:27,582

and vinegar slaw, sweet slaw.

:

00:52:27,582 --> 00:52:31,962

Folks believe that sugar heals all wounds,

vinegar, slaw, Folks believe that life

:

00:52:31,962 --> 00:52:33,922

is pain, but it's at least it's tangy.

:

00:52:34,299 --> 00:52:37,719

Either way, the cabbage is chopped

fine, not shredded, not fancy, just

:

00:52:37,719 --> 00:52:40,869

small enough to rest easy on the

bun without staging a slide off.

:

00:52:41,069 --> 00:52:44,819

To me, the slaw dog is what happens

when comfort food stops trying so hard.

:

00:52:44,819 --> 00:52:48,179

It's the middle of July, your barefoot

in the grass paper plate, bending under

:

00:52:48,179 --> 00:52:50,309

the weight of potato chips and devotion.

:

00:52:50,499 --> 00:52:53,829

There's a half empty pitcher of sweet

tea sweating on the porch rail, and

:

00:52:53,829 --> 00:52:56,859

somebody's yelling at the store bought

buttons are too thin, but they'll do.

:

00:52:57,192 --> 00:53:02,232

And somehow, somehow this little hot dog

with its crown of slaw becomes perfect.

:

00:53:02,396 --> 00:53:04,886

It's messy in the way that

good things are supposed to be.

:

00:53:05,002 --> 00:53:08,742

It's not a meal that you eat, it's a

feeling that you chase it's also the

:

00:53:08,742 --> 00:53:10,662

most democratic food in Appalachia.

:

00:53:10,872 --> 00:53:12,102

Everybody's got a version.

:

00:53:12,102 --> 00:53:13,332

Everybody's ant claims.

:

00:53:13,332 --> 00:53:15,682

Hers is the original, and nobody's wrong.

:

00:53:15,922 --> 00:53:19,222

You'll find it at church picnics,

at ballfields funerals, weddings,

:

00:53:19,222 --> 00:53:23,122

and every political fundraiser that

promises free food, but means slaw dogs.

:

00:53:23,362 --> 00:53:25,432

It's the culinary

handshake of West Virginia.

:

00:53:25,432 --> 00:53:27,862

Casual, comforting, and

just a little bit sticky.

:

00:53:28,222 --> 00:53:30,622

And maybe that's why we love

it, because it's honest.

:

00:53:30,622 --> 00:53:33,056

It doesn't try to be

gourmet or photogenic.

:

00:53:33,056 --> 00:53:38,316

It just exists like many of us do,

quietly, proudly in its own messy glory.

:

00:53:38,439 --> 00:53:42,039

So here's to the West Virginia slaw

dog, the humble hero of summer.

:

00:53:42,039 --> 00:53:45,669

Proof that mayonnaise and cabbage can

change lives and the only food that

:

00:53:45,669 --> 00:53:50,169

tastes like both childhood and adulthood

in the same bite back to you, dash.

:

00:53:50,576 --> 00:53:52,706

-:

I've never had a slaw dog.

:

00:53:52,962 --> 00:53:54,792

-:

It's Shana's absolute favorite.

:

00:53:55,032 --> 00:53:56,232

She craves them.

:

00:53:56,287 --> 00:53:56,647

-:

:

00:53:56,647 --> 00:53:58,057

Listening to you describe it.

:

00:53:58,057 --> 00:54:00,157

I need to, I need to give it a shot.

:

00:54:00,354 --> 00:54:02,584

I've had a slaw burger, which is.

:

00:54:02,584 --> 00:54:04,114

The same philosophy,

:

00:54:04,427 --> 00:54:05,927

-:

a place in Huntington called

:

00:54:05,927 --> 00:54:08,774

Stewart's, and it is just a little

hot dog shack and that's all.

:

00:54:08,774 --> 00:54:11,054

They pretty, they solve, they

serve burgers now, but they used

:

00:54:11,054 --> 00:54:12,614

to be, I think just this hot dogs.

:

00:54:13,004 --> 00:54:15,224

Anyway, they, you could get a

chili dog there or you could get

:

00:54:15,224 --> 00:54:18,134

a slaw dog and Shanna loves 'em.

:

00:54:18,344 --> 00:54:21,884

-:

a song, by the Kentucky Head, hunters

:

00:54:22,157 --> 00:54:23,117

-:

:

00:54:23,117 --> 00:54:24,197

Let's all go

:

00:54:24,287 --> 00:54:24,637

-:

:

00:54:24,642 --> 00:54:25,212

Walker.

:

00:54:25,502 --> 00:54:26,142

-:

:

00:54:26,142 --> 00:54:26,402

Walker.

:

00:54:26,772 --> 00:54:27,312

-:

:

00:54:27,377 --> 00:54:27,497

-:

:

00:54:27,972 --> 00:54:29,922

-:

get a slaw burger and a ski.

:

00:54:30,302 --> 00:54:30,806

-:

:

00:54:30,806 --> 00:54:32,246

-:

I've been to Domas Walker.

:

00:54:32,626 --> 00:54:33,496

-:

:

00:54:33,716 --> 00:54:35,683

-:

in Greensburg , , Kentucky.

:

00:54:36,133 --> 00:54:39,733

It's not called Dumas Walker

anymore, but they do still serve.

:

00:54:39,733 --> 00:54:42,013

The Slaw Burger and Ski combo.

:

00:54:42,498 --> 00:54:43,178

-:

:

00:54:43,301 --> 00:54:47,231

a lot of people put slaw on like

barbecue sandwiches and things like that.

:

00:54:48,126 --> 00:54:50,856

-:

had, and it is, that's the way to do

:

00:54:50,856 --> 00:54:51,126

it.

:

00:54:51,366 --> 00:54:53,346

-:

don't have a McDonald's close, right?

:

00:54:54,101 --> 00:54:55,636

-:

There's one a half hour away.

:

00:54:56,451 --> 00:54:57,711

-:

The holiday pies are back.

:

00:54:57,983 --> 00:54:58,553

-:

:

00:54:59,733 --> 00:55:02,223

-:

had a holiday pie from McDonald's.

:

00:55:02,643 --> 00:55:03,393

Oh, my friend.

:

00:55:03,483 --> 00:55:09,993

So it's a sugar cookie, like crust and

they fill it with like a, a warm custard.

:

00:55:10,242 --> 00:55:11,322

-:

:

00:55:11,322 --> 00:55:12,432

-:

They are delicious.

:

00:55:12,877 --> 00:55:14,917

-:

about to, I'm gonna make an excuse

:

00:55:15,067 --> 00:55:19,717

that I need to go, actually, I am gonna

try to go visit some friends tomorrow.

:

00:55:19,717 --> 00:55:24,112

I've gotta time it right because I can't

drive on the, I've got three pain meds.

:

00:55:24,492 --> 00:55:26,977

Any one is enough to make

me not be able to drive.

:

00:55:26,977 --> 00:55:29,617

So if I time it, I can go up

there and see some friends.

:

00:55:29,617 --> 00:55:31,967

So I'll stop by the McDonald's up there.

:

00:55:32,682 --> 00:55:34,662

-:

you'll and tell me Report back.

:

00:55:34,662 --> 00:55:35,502

Let me know what you think.

:

00:55:35,502 --> 00:55:35,892

'cause

:

00:55:36,192 --> 00:55:37,602

it they are my favorite.

:

00:55:37,812 --> 00:55:40,272

They just came back November 1st

and I've already had like five.

:

00:55:40,392 --> 00:55:40,752

So

:

00:55:41,622 --> 00:55:45,506

Yeah, because the McDonald's is

the closest like fast food that

:

00:55:45,506 --> 00:55:47,006

we have to us, that and Taco Bell.

:

00:55:47,389 --> 00:55:49,009

-:

I'm selling something on Facebook

:

00:55:49,009 --> 00:55:50,569

Marketplace, so I better let you go.

:

00:55:53,682 --> 00:55:55,152

I thought that sounded pretty redneck.

:

00:55:57,107 --> 00:55:58,307

-:

I've sold plenty of things on

:

00:55:58,307 --> 00:56:00,077

Facebook Marketplace before.

:

00:56:00,077 --> 00:56:00,367

-:

:

00:56:00,367 --> 00:56:01,772

I've sold a couple things.

:

00:56:01,772 --> 00:56:01,802

I.

:

00:56:01,982 --> 00:56:03,392

-:

we were moving, we sold a bunch

:

00:56:03,392 --> 00:56:04,982

of stuff like our washer and dryer

:

00:56:05,462 --> 00:56:07,925

-:

what you got going on this weekend?

:

00:56:08,165 --> 00:56:08,885

Anything fun.

:

00:56:09,220 --> 00:56:10,720

-:

going to see my aunt on Saturday

:

00:56:10,769 --> 00:56:12,149

Sunday I gotta write an exam.

:

00:56:12,149 --> 00:56:15,179

We don't have any class on

Tuesday because of Veteran's Day.

:

00:56:15,689 --> 00:56:15,929

Yeah.

:

00:56:15,929 --> 00:56:18,329

But that's my office hours

day, so I won't have access.

:

00:56:18,329 --> 00:56:20,129

So I have to go down

and print at some point.

:

00:56:20,669 --> 00:56:23,369

Um, and I have given it another exam.

:

00:56:23,369 --> 00:56:25,109

I give so many freaking exams.

:

00:56:25,149 --> 00:56:25,439

-:

:

00:56:26,069 --> 00:56:28,199

-:

all I end up doing is grading exams.

:

00:56:28,450 --> 00:56:30,550

I wish I knew the person

that wrote the damn syllabus.

:

00:56:31,490 --> 00:56:32,660

-:

Whose fault is this?

:

00:56:34,340 --> 00:56:35,810

. Does it look like I have an antenna?

:

00:56:36,190 --> 00:56:38,260

-:

watched, I've looked at it the whole time.

:

00:56:39,276 --> 00:56:40,416

-:

We are so stupid.

:

00:56:43,601 --> 00:56:45,491

-:

at, I kept thinking, Marvin the Martian,

:

00:56:46,776 --> 00:56:48,876

-:

that's what I'm serving right here.

:

00:56:50,826 --> 00:56:51,066

God.

:

00:56:51,881 --> 00:56:54,041

Well, hope you enjoy your visit with your

:

00:56:54,041 --> 00:56:54,581

aunt.

:

00:56:54,856 --> 00:56:55,246

-:

:

00:56:55,246 --> 00:56:56,416

What are you doing this weekend?

:

00:56:56,711 --> 00:57:00,401

-:

to get this, dissertation ready to upload.

:

00:57:00,401 --> 00:57:02,296

-:

if you need any help, I'll, I'll

:

00:57:02,296 --> 00:57:03,616

do my best with it, so lemme know.

:

00:57:03,671 --> 00:57:05,096

-:

meeting with the, the, the.

:

00:57:05,096 --> 00:57:07,466

Person who does that, next week.

:

00:57:07,826 --> 00:57:11,276

And then I'm gonna do all of

that, and then I might send

:

00:57:11,276 --> 00:57:13,196

it to you for a, a look over.

:

00:57:13,441 --> 00:57:14,641

-:

Okay, no problem.

:

00:57:14,641 --> 00:57:15,541

I'll do my best on it.

:

00:57:15,811 --> 00:57:17,965

-:

Well, listeners, um, for,

:

00:57:17,965 --> 00:57:19,165

uh, thanks for listening.

:

00:57:19,285 --> 00:57:20,815

We are grateful to you for that.

:

00:57:20,991 --> 00:57:26,121

hey, you know, uh, send us to somebody you

think might find where fun we're funny.

:

00:57:26,181 --> 00:57:28,611

Um, post about us on social.

:

00:57:28,611 --> 00:57:32,841

I don't know if you feel like it,

you haven't yet, give us a five

:

00:57:32,841 --> 00:57:37,311

star rating on iTunes or whatever

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:

00:57:37,336 --> 00:57:39,106

And, uh, subscribe to the newsletter.

:

00:57:39,166 --> 00:57:41,416

You know, it's, it'll

be in the show notes.

:

00:57:41,416 --> 00:57:42,226

I put everything in there.

:

00:57:42,628 --> 00:57:44,913

-:

know how to subscribe to the newsletter,

:

00:57:45,243 --> 00:57:48,463

just Google Substack, Queernecks, and

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:

00:57:48,463 --> 00:57:50,323

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:

00:57:50,633 --> 00:57:50,993

-:

:

00:57:51,148 --> 00:57:56,738

Or, also at the bottom of our

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:

00:57:56,898 --> 00:57:59,718

or in the show notes here, if you

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:

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:

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QUEERNECKS
Queer Appalachian Stories & Culture.
Join the lively hosts of QUEERNECKS for a unique podcast experience exploring the intersection of Appalachian culture and the LGBTQ+ experience. Dive into engaging stories, humorous anecdotes, and thoughtful discussions on everything from Appalachian traditions and local life to current events, LGBTQ+ issues, and building an inclusive community. If you're looking for a podcast that blends authentic Appalachian voices with insightful queer perspectives, offering both laughter and meaningful connection, then welcome to the QUEERNECKS family. Subscribe now and be part of our growing community!
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